Our group of heroes was walking along the path leading to Silver City, and Ash was incredibly excited to arrive in the city. This was because the city housed one of the eight most powerful gyms in the Kanto region.
Eight gyms that Ash had promised to conquer before setting out on his journey, as they were the eight strongest gyms in the region. To achieve his dream of becoming a Pokémon Master, he had to earn those badges.
"Wow, I'm so excited! We have to hurry and win that badge," Ash exclaimed with enthusiasm as he stood on a rock, pointing towards the city as if ready to sprint.
"Calm down, Ash. The gym isn't going anywhere," Mirian told him as she approached to get him off the rock.
"But, Mirian, the gym is so close, and I'm so far..."
"Ash, we need to go to the Pokémon Center first to register for the Pokémon League, and only then can you challenge the gyms," Misty added while watching Mirian and Sayaka trying to pull Ash off the rock.
"It seems like this kid is so eager to challenge the gym leader that he's causing trouble for these beautiful ladies," a voice from below the rock spoke, catching their attention. Ash and Mirian walked to the edge of the rock to see where the voice was coming from, and they noticed an elderly man dressed in dirty clothes, sitting amidst many stones.
"Oh, sir, what are you doing here?" Ash asked the man.
"This is my stone-selling spot, and you four are above my merchandise," the man replied.
Upon hearing this, Ash and Mirian quickly got off the rock and apologized.
"Don't worry about it. But I'm curious, are you four planning to challenge the gym leader of Silver City?" the man asked, not leaving his spot.
"Not just Ash, we are accompanying him on his journey to learn more about the region, and this gym will be his first badge," Sayaka spoke with the polite tone typical of Nurse Joys.
"First badge? Then you must be quite the expert trainer from another region," the man commented.
"No, sir. This is my first Pokémon journey, but don't worry; you'll see this face alongside Pikachu at the Pokémon World Championships against champions from other regions in the future," Ash said confidently while making a victory sign with Pikachu.
"A rookie traveling with three trainers, two of whom are Jenny and Joy... you must be a very lucky kid. But your luck will run out if you're not prepared to face the gym leader of Silver City; his Rock-type Pokémon are the pride of the city," the man said with notable pride in his voice.
"Did you hear that, girls? We're heading to the Pokémon Center to register for a battle with such a powerful trainer," Ash said, his excitement driving him to run towards the center, with the girls trying to catch up and urging him to slow down. The prospect of a good battle, especially as his first gym battle, was clouding Ash's judgment.
"A rookie traveling with three lovely ladies, a lucky bastard," the man muttered as he observed the group retreating.
Shortly after speaking with the man, our group arrived at the Pokémon Center, still filled with adrenaline. Ash approached Nurse Joy from Silver City.
"We want to register for the Pokémon League!" Ash exclaimed with excitement, leaving Nurse Joy bewildered and unable to give her usual greeting due to the sudden appearance of the enthusiastic young man.
"Please excuse my travel companion; he's a complete novice," Sayaka came to the rescue, appearing behind Ash with a smile as she moved him away from the counter.
"Oh, Sayaka, so this rookie is the travel companion you mentioned when you left to explore the region while the Pokémon Center in Viridian City was being reconstructed?"
"Yes, that's right. This adorable trainer is who I'll be traveling with for the region during these short holidays, and as you can see, aside from being adorable, he's very enthusiastic, perhaps a bit too much for his own good."
"Don't worry. As a Joy in the major gyms, we're used to this type of trainer."
With that said, Nurse Joy approached her computer and entered a command.
"Could you please provide me with your identification or something similar?" Joy asked, looking at Ash, who began to search his jacket and pulled out his Pokédex to hand it to Nurse Joy.
"Oh, Ash Ketchum, recently departed from Pallet Town less than a month ago, and you're the fourth one to register for the league. You'll also be the fourth to challenge the gym leader, Brock."
"The fourth? How did the other three fare?"
Ash asked interestedly as he secretly hoped to hear that Gary had lost.
"I can't reveal who won or lost, but two trainers from Pallet Town managed to defeat Brock, and one lost. The one who lost not too long ago left the Pokémon Center to explore the Pewter City Gym, where there's a gym leader who's much more accessible for beginners."
The words of Nurse Joy surprised Ash, but he brushed it off because he had full confidence that he would be among the winners.
"Well, the registration is complete, and your battle with the leader is scheduled in 30 minutes, which will be the last match of the day," the nurse said as she returned Ash's Pokédex and he thanked her before getting ready to run.
"For your battle against the leader, you won't hear from us, so go with him, Misty. Mirian and I need to stay to talk to the respective Joys and Jennies in the city to report what we've seen on this journey," Sayaka said, looking at Misty, who quickly understood and hurried to follow Ash, who had already sprinted towards his gym battle.
"That Ash is so lucky that he looks so adorable when he thinks about Pokémon battles," Mirian said, and Sayaka nodded in agreement. They both chuckled and then bid each other farewell to go about their respective tasks while the young man who had won the hearts of both girls ran towards the Silver City Gym.
Ash didn't take long to arrive at the gym and saw the building that resembled a cave entrance, with its design giving it a rocky appearance. He opened the door with Misty by his side, and upon entering, they were greeted by darkness. They walked a few meters until a voice echoed throughout the gym.
"Who's there?"
A strong voice was heard, and suddenly, the gym lights illuminated everything. Before them stood a young man with tan skin and brown hair, his eyes appearing to be closed as he sat on what looked like a throne made of rocks.
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town, and I've come to challenge the gym leader," Ash said with nervousness because what lay ahead was going to be his first gym battle.
"Oh, from Pallet Town, so you must be a rookie like the ones I faced earlier today," the young man commented as he walked to one side of the gym where there was a button. He pressed it, and the battle arena began to open up, revealing a rocky terrain, much to Ash's excited and Misty's worried expressions.
"I apologize if the battlefield is a bit rough; the battles I had earlier were quite explosive, especially with the two trainers who defeated me with their Squirtle and Bulbasaur."
"But enough talk. First, let me introduce myself, and then I'll explain the rules of our match. My name is Brock, and I'm the gym leader of Silver City, specializing in Rock-type Pokémon."
"The rules will be simple. It will be a 2 vs. 3 battle, where the challenger will have the opportunity to use three Pokémon and also make switches."
Brock spoke as he took his position and retrieved his first Poké Ball.
"I'll use the same Pokémon I used in all the battles against the Pallet Town rookies. Let's see how you compare to your companions. As for the audience that should be in the stands, unfortunately, at this time of day, there's no one here as the main events are held in the middle of the day."
"Like how it was packed when I fell to those two Pallet Town trainers or the partially filled stands when I defeated the Charmander trainer."
"But, to not make you feel bad, you can ask your girlfriend to go up to the stands to support you."
Brock added the last part with a mocking tone, causing Misty and Ash to blush. They couldn't deny or confirm anything, given how nervous those words made them.
"Ah, young love..." Brock said as he looked up, with a tear rolling down his eye.
With that small interlude and a blushing Misty taking her seat in the stands to watch the battle, the two trainers exchanged serious looks, ready to begin.
"Geodude, go and show your Rock power," Brock commanded as he released his Geodude from its Poké Ball. The Pokémon appeared as a rock with muscular arms and a face.
"Wow, a Geodude!" Ash exclaimed in amazement as he took out his Pokédex to scan the Pokémon.
"Geodude, the Rock Pokémon. Geodude has incredible defensive strength, making it practically resistant to any physical attack."
"This looks like it's going to be tough, but it's not something we can't defeat. Go, Weedle!"
Ash threw his Poké Ball, but instead of his fully evolved Beedrill, a small stinger-wielding worm-like Pokémon, Weedle, appeared.
"Weedle?" Ash said, surprised that the small worm Pokémon was on his team.
"Kid, it seems like you still need to practice your evolutionary chains because that's not a Beedrill; it's a Weedle," Brock remarked, taking the situation as a rookie mistake.
"Ash, you forgot that Beedrill was transferred to Professor Oak's lab, and you forgot to make the switch at the Pokémon Center because you were in such a hurry to get to the gym," Misty shouted from the stands as Ash facepalmed.
"You're right; I completely forgot. Well, it doesn't matter. I know Weedle will surprise us, right, little buddy?" Ash said optimistically as his Weedle glanced at the battlefield, trying to understand what it was about to face.
"Well, with both trainers having sent out their Pokémon, it's time to start the battle. I'll grant the first move to the challenger," Brock said as his Geodude got ready to fight.
"I hope you don't regret this. Weedle, Poison Sting!" Ash yelled, launching a quick offensive. Weedle illuminated its horn with a purple color and darted toward Geodude with speed, but it bounced off due to Geodude's rock-hard body.
At first, it seemed like the attack had done no damage.
"Being aggressive is not a bad strategy for a rookie, but it won't do you any good against the strength of my Rock-type Pokémon."
"Geodude, use Rollout!" Brock quickly ordered, and Geodude assumed a rolling position, heading toward Weedle at great speed.
"Weedle, use String Shot to stop it!" Ash shouted, and Weedle obeyed. However, Weedle's weak String Shot couldn't stop Geodude's movement. The attack continued, directly impacting Weedle and sending it flying into a rock.
"Weedle..." Weedle muttered weakly as Ash recalled it into its Poké Ball.
"You did a good job," Ash said as he put the Poké Ball away.
"(Pidgeotto and Butterfree must be tired from the events in Viridian Forest, and Magikarp would be completely useless in this kind of battlefield)," Ash thought as he released his next Pokémon.
"It's all up to you now, Spearow!" Ash called out as he released his feisty Flying-type Pokémon.
Upon coming out of its Poké Ball, Spearow immediately took to the sky, showcasing its significant advantage.
"A Flying-type, its agility could be a problem, but we're prepared for that," Brock noted as his Geodude made an affirmative sound.
"It's also quite tough. Spearow, show it with your Peck attack!" Ash ordered, and Spearow approached Geodude with speed.
"Geodude, respond with Harden!" Brock said. A white glow surrounded Geodude as it quickly evaded Spearow's attack.
"Good, now counter with Mega Punch, Geodude!" Brock commanded.
"Don't let it gain the upper hand. Spearow, use Leer!" Ash shouted. Spearow recovered from the earlier collision and flew closer to Geodude, giving it a menacing glare that caused Geodude to flinch slightly.
"Don't be intimidated like that. Use Sandstorm, Geodude!" With Brock's command, Geodude generated a powerful sandstorm that enveloped the entire battlefield, significantly reducing visibility.
The force of the attack obscured much of the battlefield.
"Stay alert, Spearow!" Ash shouted, shielding himself from the sandstorm. Spearow remained airborne, concentrating on where Geodude might appear.
"Geodude, use Rollout!" Brock ordered. Both Ash and Spearow were on the lookout for Geodude's potential location. Suddenly, Geodude emerged from the east side of Spearow, its body spinning like a drill.
"Spearow, counter with Peck!" Ash quickly commanded, and Spearow obeyed. The two Pokémon clashed, generating a shockwave that pushed them both back.
Both Spearow and Geodude appeared completely weakened on the ground, while the sandstorm continued to rage.
"Return, Geodude. You did well," Brock said as he recalled his Pokémon into its Poké Ball.
"Same to you, Spearow. Now, there's only one Pokémon left for Brock," Ash commented as he also returned Spearow to its Poké Ball and looked at Pikachu, who understood from Ash's gaze that it was up next.
"Well, I didn't expect you to defeat Geodude, so you'll have the honor of meeting my second Pokémon. Onix, come out and crush the field!" Brock shouted as he released his Onix from its Poké Ball. The colossal rock snake emerged with a powerful roar, filling the battlefield.
"An Onix! This is going to be tough," Ash said as he took out his Pokédex to scan the Rock and Ground-type Pokémon.
"Onix, the Rock Snake Pokémon. By rotating its large, powerful body, Onix can tunnel through the ground at 50 miles per hour."
Ash's Pikachu entered the battlefield with a vigorous cry.
"Pika!"
Upon command, Pikachu rushed onto the field, which was still covered by a massive sandstorm.
"Why don't we do justice to what the Pokédex says? Onix, Dig!" Brock swiftly ordered, and Onix dove into the ground with tremendous speed, creating a hole in the earth.
"Pikachu, quickly jump on top of a rock for better field coverage!" Ash shouted.
Following Ash's command, Pikachu rapidly climbed a nearby rock, still enduring the effects of the sandstorm, and began to survey the battlefield, vigilant of where Onix might appear.
Seconds felt like minutes as there was no sign of Onix. Suddenly, the sound of rocks breaking caught Pikachu's attention, and it looked down to see Onix emerging from the ground, shattering the rock on which Pikachu was standing, sending the Electric-type Pokémon flying.
"Pikachu, regroup in the air and immediately use Thunderbolt on Onix!" Ash yelled.
Pikachu complied, enveloping its body with electricity and releasing a powerful electric current toward Onix. It was a devastating attack, but to Pikachu's surprise, it had no effect on Onix.
"It's a good Thunderbolt, but unfortunately, my Onix isn't just a Rock-type; it's also a Ground-type, which makes it completely immune to your Electric-type attacks," Brock explained.
Ash and Pikachu were left in shock as Pikachu tumbled to the ground near a rock.
"Let's make you regret your rookie mistake. Onix, use Bind!" Brock commanded. Without hesitation, Onix approached Pikachu, who was still surprised by the failed electric attack. Onix wrapped its massive rocky body around Pikachu, leaving no room for escape.
"Pika!" Pikachu cried out in pain as it was squeezed by Onix's colossal form.
"No, Pikachu..." Ash cried out in despair, watching as Pikachu struggled to break free but found itself trapped in Onix's unyielding grip.
"You put up a good fight, both you and your Pokémon, Ash. However, just like the Trainer with the Charmander, a Rock-type Gym is the worst place to start your journey to the Pokémon League."
Brock's words were calm and wise as he looked at Ash, who was still clutching Pikachu.
"It's time to end this battle. Onix, finish Pikachu with Slam..."
Brock spoke calmly and, still holding Pikachu in its coils, Onix swung its body with tremendous force, slamming Pikachu into nearby rocks with a devastating impact. Pikachu was sent flying, and it landed on the ground, clearly defeated.
Ash rushed to Pikachu's side, his face filled with concern and sadness as he cradled his injured Pokémon in his arms.
"Misty..."
Misty watched from the stands, her heart heavy with concern for Ash and Pikachu, but she knew that now was not the time to approach. She silently watched as Ash and Pikachu made their way out of the battlefield, heading toward the nearest Pokémon Center.
Brock, meanwhile, closed the Gym for the day, satisfied with the battles he had witnessed and the lessons learned.